


Naming Stars

by anika



Series: Small World Now A Galaxy [1]
Category: K (Anime)
Genre: Coming Out, Fluff, M/M, Stargazing, Trans Male Character
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-12-24
Updated: 2015-12-24
Packaged: 2018-05-08 21:05:26
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,987
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5513303
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/anika/pseuds/anika
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>He never got around to changing it.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Naming Stars

**Author's Note:**

> theres like one part in this thats assumin the slates r Gone but if that ends up not bein th case i'll just go back n change it lol
> 
> now have a cheesefest

There was something about summer nights, the contrast between humid heat and sunless sky, stars speckling the surface and illuminating the night along with the moon’s reflection and the distant city lights. Something about it made it surreal, dreamlike in a way, but an enjoyable kind. An escape. The dark was calming, the heat comforting, wrapping around like a blanket and keeping one warm and secure.

At least it was like that to Misaki. He was on his back, staring up at the sky from the grass outside his house, hands behind his head as his eyes scanned the stars for nothing in particular.

“Can we go inside now,” came a monotone voice, not even phrasing it as a question. “It’s hot.”

“We just came outside!”

“So?”

Misaki whined. “You’re no fun, Saruhiko.”

Saruhiko sighed, taking off his glasses to wipe the sweat off the bridge of his nose before putting them back on. “I don’t remember saying I was.”

With a groan and a pout, Misaki sat up. “Fine,” he said, “you can go inside and I’ll stay here.”

Saruhiko looked at him for a moment, thinking, before shrugging and looking back up. “Guess I’ll stay out here, then. Whatever.”

Misaki smiled and gave him a light punch on the shoulder. “See? Not that bad!” He flopped backwards again, returning to his original position.

He didn’t react when Saruhiko joined him on the ground, save for a smile. They lied next to each other, hands barely brushing yet neither moving them any closer; the sound of cicadas and crickets filled the air, the heavy humidity weighing down on them. They were both silent for a while, taking in each other’s presence and scanning the little lights in the sky. Misaki almost thought his friend was asleep until he looked over.

Saruhiko’s eyes were open, and he glanced over when he felt Misaki’s gaze, making eye contact.

“I’m sure you know the names of all of these,” Misaki whispered.

Saruhiko gave a slight nod and looked back up. “There’s the Summer Triangle,” he said, pointing to a certain point in the sky. “The three bright ones.”

Misaki squinted in the general direction. “...Nope, can’t see nothin’. Never been good with constellations.”

Saruhiko opened his mouth to try to clarify, but stopped; it was pointless with this idiot. “Asterism, not constellation. Anyways, it’s made of Deneb, Altair, and Vega. And over here,” he pointed to another area, “there’s the constellation Scorpius. Near the top is the star Antares.”

“Hey, isn’t that your zodiac sign?”

“I guess.” He shrugged. “Don’t believe in that stuff.”

Misaki gave a small laugh. “It fits you.”

Saruhiko glanced at him. “Do you even know anything about that zodiac?”

“Not really,” he admitted, “but it sounds like something that would fit you. You know, scorpions. Poisonous and stuff. Creepy.” He hesitated, eyes widening and body tensing when he realized what he said. “Uh-I...And I mean that in the best way possible!”

Saruhiko spared a smile, and Misaki didn’t have time to do a double take (holy crap he’s _smiling_ ) before Saruhiko looked away and continued.

“Maybe something easier will get through your tiny brain,” he said, and pointed again. “Northern Dipper, also known as Big Dipper. If you haven’t heard of it, you really _are_ an idiot.”

Misaki’s face perked up. “Oh, yeah! I know that one! It has that one big star, right?”

“Polaris, at the top.”

“Cool! That’s _one_ constellation I know.”

“ _Asterism_ ,” Saruhiko said again.

“What’s the difference?”

Saruhiko shrugged. “Doesn’t matter.”

Misaki didn’t press any further; he knew he wouldn’t get it, anyway. “Why do the stars even have names?”

“Same reason people do. Identification.” He adjusted his glasses again. “Or cultural significance. Depends.”

“Huh. Well, I like ‘em.”

“More than your own name?” Saruhiko teased. “I still wonder why your mother gave you a girl’s name…”

“It can be a guy name, too!” Misaki said, jolting upright and glaring at him like he usually did. But he went quiet immediately after, face softening, and Saruhiko narrowed his eyes at the strange behavior.

“About that, though…” Misaki whispered, so quiet Saruhiko could barely hear him. “There’s been...something I’ve been meaning to tell you? Kinda on the fence about it, not sure if I even should or if it’ll be too weird or anything but I-”

“Misaki,” Saruhiko interrupted, and sat up as well. His expression was welcoming, a curious glint in his eyes, so Misaki took a deep breath and continued.

“Remember, like, a year ago, when your cousin made me pretend to be a girl on the phone because my voice was high?” Misaki smiled nervously. “Well, _is_ high. I guess that time I, uh, didn’t really...have to pretend? I mean, I’m a guy! I guess. I am. It’s just-I used to be? A girl? Sort of? Like I never was but the way people see me or I was born or whatever, it’s complicated, but I-”

“I get it.”

The interruption took Misaki by surprise, and it took him a moment to summon the courage to look him in the eye. “Y-you do?”

Saruhiko nodded. Short, simple, yet sincere. “It’s not unheard of.”

Misaki grinned. A small exhale of relief, then he responded. “You really do know about everything, huh?”

“Enough, at least.”

“You...don’t think it’s weird?”

Saruhiko shrugged, the kind of shrug someone gives over mundane topics, things that aren’t a big deal, a reaction he gave everything. “You’re a guy, so you’re a guy. Shouldn’t matter what they said you were born as.” He leaned back on his hands and closed his eyes. “If you always have been, you always have been.”

“Saruhiko…”

He opened his eyes with barely enough time to register what was happening; Misaki practically tackled him, knocking his glasses out of place and taking him by surprise.

“Thank yooouuu…”

Saruhiko clicked his tongue. “It’s no big deal.”

“Most people are so mean…” He nuzzled his face into Saruhiko’s shoulder.

“Everyone sees you as a guy…”

“I still have to be registered as a girl everywhere,” Misaki mumbled, “my mom just talks to the school and stuff. I got lucky with this one.”

“At least she’s supportive.”

Misaki pulled away. “It’s probably just to keep me off her back,” he said, looking down, “make me feel grateful so I don’t intrude on her new family.”

Saruhiko didn’t respond to that; he had nothing he could say. “So, are you going to change your name?”

Misaki sighed, his tone returning to normal. “Like I said, it can still be a guy’s name. Sometimes. And I just haven’t thought of a new one yet.”

Saruhiko nodded. “Do you want me to-”

“Nah, keep usin’ it,” Misaki said with a smile, “just, you know…”

“...not in public.”

“Right.”

Saruhiko layed back down, crossing his arms behind his head and closing his eyes. “Well, tell me if that changes.”

Misaki joined him. “You got it.”

“Can we go back in now?”

* * *

The air was crisp, cold on the apartment balcony, winter winds blowing and whistling and the moisture in the air slithering through layers of clothing and creating an inescapable chill. City lights shone right outside, across the street, into the distance; it was hard to see the stars, but they were there.

“It’s cold,” Misaki said, leaning against the doorframe. “Come back in.”

“I don’t mind it,” Saruhiko answered, not turning around.

So Misaki joined him despite the uncomfortable weather, nearly forgetting the fact that he couldn’t warm himself up anymore. But Saruhiko was _here_ , after all this time, and trying to wrap his head around it was enough to keep the cold off his mind.

“Why’re you out here?” Misaki asked, leaning against the balcony rail like Saruhiko was. All he got for an answer was a one-shouldered shrug. He smiled. Typical.

He tried again. “Hasn’t been clear out here for a while.”

“You’re really trying to talk about the weather?”

“Just sayin’,” he retorted.

Saruhiko let out an amused scoff, the closest thing to laugh he normally showed.

Misaki’s voice was softer when he spoke. “Stars again?”

“They’re different depending on the season,” Saruhiko responded. “Haven’t taken the time to look in a while.”

“Still don’t get how you can tell ‘em apart.”

“You’re just an idiot,” he sighed. “Remember the Summer Triangle?”

“Yeah, why?”

“There’s a winter one, too. Part of a hexagon, but-”

“Okay, that’s just pushin’ it,” Misaki interrupted, “you could make anything out of any of these.”

“True. But still,” Saruhiko pointed again, “hard to see out here, but it’s there. Three brightest ones like the last. They’re some of the brightest objects we can see, so you should at _least_ spot _one_.”

Misaki squinted in the general direction. “I think I...yeah!” His eyes widened. “I see it!”

“Or are you just saying that?”

He sent him a glare. “You think I would?”

“Yes,” Saruhiko said curtly.

“Whatever,” Misaki groaned. “So, these ones got names?”

“Sirius, Betelgeuse, and Procyon,” Saruhiko answered.

“I can’t pronounce half of those.”

“Three is not evenly divisible by two.”

“You know what I mean!”

Misaki sighed, leaning forward a little more. Their arms brushed, touching ever so slightly; he wanted to take Saruhiko’s hand in his, but the fact that Saruhiko’s hands were clasped together stopped him. Plus, that would be weird, he told himself. _Right?_ He banished the thought the moment he felt his cheeks heat up.

But Saruhiko beat him to the punch. He didn’t tear his gaze from the sky as he tentatively took Misaki’s hand. The latter’s face was definitely red now, and though it was dark the lights from the city prevented him from hiding it; Saruhiko didn’t look at him, but he seemed to know, judging by the smirk on his face.

“If you don’t mind me asking,” Saruhiko began, “you never did change your name.”

Misaki looked away. “Yeah, and?”

“Just wondering why.”

“I dunno, just...never figured one out.”

“That’s all?”

Misaki hesitated before continuing. “I mean, I was thinking about it way back then, but then you started calling me it…” His voice got softer with each word. “I just...liked it more after that, I guess.”

Saruhiko nodded. “Even after I-”

“No, you didn’t ruin it. It bugged me, but…” he gave Saruhiko’s hand a light squeeze, “I still like it when you say it. Now, at least.”

He was silent for a moment. “Sorry.”

“I get it.”

Then Saruhiko gave him a smile, an actual, _genuine_ one, and Misaki almost had to look away because, as soft and slight as it was, it never failed to be stunning, more dazzling than the stars they gazed at together.

“I’m glad you’re back,” Misaki said, voice barely above a whisper.

“Me, too.”

The next look on his face was familiar, the one that came up when he was deep in thought, analyzing something, trying to make a decision. Misaki had no idea what, and it didn’t matter; he leaned in, wrapping his arms around his old friend’s waist and burying his face in the front of his jacket.

“Thank you.”

Saruhiko chuckled. “For what?”

“A lot? Don’t make me get too sappy.”

“True,” he said, but the smile was still in his voice.

“That goes for you, too, Saru,” Misaki said, voice muffled.

Saruhiko didn’t respond. Instead, he pulled back slightly to look at Misaki’s face before leaning back in, hesitating for just a brief moment, and placing a gentle kiss on his forehead.

“The fuck did I just say,” Misaki said, embarrassment obvious in his voice. Even so, he buried his face back in Saruhiko’s chest, unable to suppress the wide smile that crossed his face.

With another chuckle, Saruhiko simply threaded a hand through Misaki’s hair, brushing and twirling it absentmindedly as he held him.

After a while, neither aware of how long, Misaki spoke again.

“Let’s go inside.”

**Author's Note:**

> comments keep me goin B^) (i may or may not have a lil series w this planned?? who knows. it depends)


End file.
